Rank and Promotion of Library Faculty in a Health Sciences University BY DOROTHY A. SPENCER, Coordinator ofAudiovisuals THOMAS G. BASLER, Director of Libraries* THEODORE H. COLEMAN, JR., Technical Processing Librarian FEROL L. WILLBANKS, Coordinator of Public Services
Medical College of Georgia Library Augusta, Georgia ABSTRACT
One method of determining faculty rank and promotion of library personnel in a health sciences university setting is presented. The focus is on appointment and promotion policies and procedures for librarians as faculty. The promotion document stresses (1) superior teaching, (2) outstanding service to the institution, (3) academic achievement, and (4) professional growth and development. Criteria for appointment and promotion to specific ranks are given. Detailed promotion procedures and a timetable are also included. This method of determining rank and promotion of library faculty is now in operation at the Medical College of Georgia.
THE library at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) serves the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, allied health sciences, and graduate studies. The MCG library program is responsible for supporting the institutional purpose of research, education, and patient care. It serves a population of 3,000 faculty and staff, 2,800 students, and the health care professionals of the state of Georgia. The library also participates in several regional and national information networks. At present there are nine library faculty members. An increase in staff is anticipated, however, as a library physical facility of approximately 75,000 square feet nears completion. This article presents two documents developed at the Medical College of Georgia which pertain to library faculty rank and promotion. It does not attempt to discuss the rationale behind the establishment of faculty status for librarians. The circumstance that precipitated the promotion document at the Medical College of Georgia (Appendix 1) was the establishment of faculty status within the library program. The philosophy of this promotion document reflects the tradi*Reprint requests should be addressed to Thomas G. Basler.
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tional posture taken by prominent professional associations in the fields of higher education and librarianship [1, 2]. We further took into account the work of Branscomb [3] and Massman [4]. Our document embodies the principle that in matters of internal governance the library operates like other academic units with respect to appointments, promotions, tenure, and conditions of service [2]. Campbell et al. outline one approach to such an academic process used at the Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois [5]. MCG concerns are with areas such as rank, voting, assignments, vacations, holidays, tenure, fringe benefits, research and travel funds, sabbaticals, adequate support staff, grievance and appeal procedures, promotion criteria, and commensurate salaries. These concerns paralleled those enumerated by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) in 1972 [6], and they were incorporated in the MCG promotion document. POLICIES FOR PROMOTION Twenty-six ACRL libraries were surveyed in 1971, and it was noted that a general pattern among those with established promotion criteria
included the following categories of job performance: (1) professional competence and activity; (2) research or creative work; (3) teaching or instructional effectiveness; (4) service to the university; and (5) public service [7]. At MCG, similar categories are weighted according to the level of promotion. At the levels of instructor and assistant professor, one is permitted some flexibility as to the number of categories that must be satisfied in order to demonstrate superior achievement. At the levels of associate professor and professor, however, this flexibility diminishes. Issues specifically addressed by MCG librarians in developing this document included: (1) Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
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provision for faculty-level personnel who are nonlibrarians to become members of the library program and library faculty; (2) emphasis on publication, based upon the perception that, with limited time, scope, and numbers of professional outlets, writing and publication have been of secondary importance for librarians; and (3) effective blending of an ideal philosophy of faculty rank and promotion with the policies of the university system of Georgia. Two other issues were considered important. First, communication from other medical school libraries indicated that in many libraries far too great a relationship exists between one's administrative role and one's faculty rank and promotion. The second issue was certification by the Medical Library Association [8]. The judgment of the MCG faculty was that for rank above instructor, and thus for tenure, certification was necessary, regardless of the candidate's other qualifications. FACULTY PROMOTION PROCEDURES In addition to the promotion document, a description of the general process for its implementation was needed. A faculty development committee was charged with the development of procedures necessary to accomplish such a task. The committee, under the director of libraries, stated its purpose as follows: 1. To serve as the peer review committee to recommend library faculty members to the director for promotion in academic rank. 2. To observe the guidelines and procedures established for its operation and report its findings in writing to the director. 3. To review the guidelines and procedures periodically to maintain their consistency with state and institutional policies regarding faculty rank and status and career development. 4. To review the criteria for the evaluation of library faculty periodically to assure that they adequately reflect current standards of professional performance. 5. To develop a handbook for use by library faculty to help formulate library development programs.
Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)Juiv 1977
The committee wrote the "Faculty Promotion Procedures" statement (Appendix 2) in order to allow for the implementation of the promotion document. Of particular note within these procedures is the role of the director of libraries as chief personnel officer, including his obligations and exclusions. Three areas of additional interest, as noted in the document, are: (1) the importance of the role of faculty from outside the library program, the role of nonfaculty persons from within the library program, and the role of others in the promotion procedure; (2) a timetable designed to coincide with institutional needs and the candidate's ability to respond; and (3) a scheduled review of the faculty promotion documents to accommodate any changes indicated by the university system of Georgia or MCG faculty organization policy modifications. REFERENCES 1. Tenure in libraries; a statement of principles adopted by the Council of the American Library Association, June 21, 1946. ALA Bull. 40: 451-453, Nov. 1946. 2. Statement on government of colleges and universities formulated by the American Council on Education, the American Association of University Professors, and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. AAUP Bull. 52: 375-379, Dec. 1966. 3. BRANSCOMB, LEWIS C., ed. The Case for Faculty Status for Academic Librarians. Chicago, American Library Association, 1970. (ACRL Monograph no. 33.) 4. MASSMAN, VIRGIL F. Faculty Status for Librarians. Metuchen, New Jersey, Scarecrow Press, 1972. 5. CAMPBELL, J., et al. Development of criteria and procedures for appointment, promotion, and tenure of library faculty in an academic health sciences library. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65: 46-52, Jan. 1977. 6. Joint statement on faculty status of college and university librarians endorsed by the Association of College and Research Libraries at the annual conference in Chicago, June 26, 1972. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 62: 237, Apr. 1974. 7. LITTLETON, I. T. The current status of university librarians in ASERL libraries. Southeast. Libr. 21: 25-35, Spring 1971. 8. M EDICAL LIBRARY ASSocIATION. Code for the Certification of Health Sciences Librarians and Library Technicians. Revised 1974. In: Directory of the Medical Library Association, 1976-77. Chicago, Medical Library Association, 1976. p. 131-132.
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SPENCER AND OTHERS APPENDIX I MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA LIBRARY STATUS, RANK AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY I. INTRODUCTION
A. Program The Library, through its faculty and staff, is designed to support the College's educational, research, patient care, and service functions. In order to offer this support, it is the policy of the Library to recruit, develop, and retain highly qualified individuals to occupy its faculty positions. The program designed and implemented by these individuals includes: 1. Selection and development of resources 2. Organization and governance of resources 3. Interpretation and use of resources 4. Program administration and management 5. Education, research, and publication B. Faculty Status and Academic Rank 1. Faculty status for MCG Librarians is defined, generally, in relation to the responsibilities and privileges of other MCG faculty members. It is expected that MCG Library faculty be accorded privileges and responsibilities accorded to other MCG faculty members; viz. (1) voting privileges in the institution's governing body, (2) service on faculty committees, (3) vacations, (4) holidays, (5) tenure, (6) fringe benefits, (7) access to research and travel funds, (8) sabbatical and other leaves, (9) grievance and appeal procedures, including peer review, (10) promotion criteria, (I 1) commensurate salaries, and (12) adequate support personnel to permit the discharge of
or be eligible for state certification as a professional librarian. B. Other professional personnel (non-librarians) must have a graduate degree in an area related to work assignment and/or be able to meet the qualifications for faculty appointment as prescribed by Board of Regents policies. C. A candidate holding a master's level degree, without prior experience, relating to the Library assignment for which he/she is being considered, will be appointed to the rank of Instructor. Candidates with prior experience and holding a master's level degree and candidates without prior experience and holding a doctorate may be considered for the rank of Assistant Professor. A candidate appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor must display previous relevant experience and qualifications in addition to meeting the requirements needed for promotion to that level. III. PROMOTION
Only Library faculty of demonstrated ability and achievement will be promoted after objective and thorough review. If the individual has not demonstrated development, there is no intention on the part of the Medical College to promote. The criteria for promotion outlined below are based on Regents' criteria for promotion, which state that at least two of the four following responsibilities. 2. There are four levels of academic rank for achievements should be demanded: 1. Superior teaching Library faculty: 2. Outstanding service to the institution Instructor, Library 3. Academic achievement Assistant Professor, Library 4. Professional growth and development Associate Professor, Library Professor, Library A. Superior Teaching II. APPOINTMENT Competence and achievement within the Liwill be judged, generally, on consistency of brary The Director of the Library will recommend appointments, including academic rank, through ap- performance, understanding of contemporary library methods, growth in subject expertise, effecpropriate institutional offices. tiveness of judgment, effectiveness of administrative leadership, creative ability in problem solving, Criteria ability to work effectively with others, and ability A. Librarians must hold a graduate degree to relate his/her functions to the goals of the Lifrom an accredited library school and have brary and the Medical College of Georgia.
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Such matters as the quality of collections developed, the effectiveness of technical or public services rendered, the effectiveness of procedures or techniques developed, and the value of programs or courses of study developed or taught will be considered in assessing the candidate's professional competence and achievement. B. Outstanding Service to the Institution Recognition will be given to candidates who render service in Library and MCG committee activities, continuing education, extramural programs, patient care, administrative responsibilities, and other service.
C. Academic Achievement A candidate's academic achievement will be evaluated in terms of the quality of research, publications, reports, books, grant awards, papers presented at professional conferences, exhibits, development of information systems, original programs and procedures applicable to library operations, the value of programs or courses of advanced study completed and other related activities. D. Professional Growth and Development A candidate's extracurricular contribution to his/her profession will be evaluated by considering such activities as the following: membership in professional and scholarly organizations, participation in library and other professional meetings and conferences, consultation or similar service, outstanding achievement or promise as evidenced by awards, fellowships, grants, teaching and lecturing, and editorial activity. In addition, consideration will be given to honors and awards, certification, continuing education and attainment of advanced degrees in addition to the initial master's degree. Evidence of competence and achievement may include the opinions of MCG Library colleagues, MCG faculty, other members of the MCG community, the opinions of those not employed by MCG who function in the same specialty as the candidate, and other qualified persons. IV. CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION TO SPECIFIC RANKS A. Criteria for Appointment as Instructor,
Library 1. A master's degree from a school or college of librarianship and have or be eligible for state certification as a librarian. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
or
2. A master's degree in an area related to work assignment and/or the ability to meet minimum qualifications for faculty appointment as prescribed by Board of Regents
policies. 3. Potential as a librarian, administrator or educator. 4. Evidence of scholarly competence and activity. 5. Successful experience (except in the case of beginners). 6. Desirable personal qualities as judged on the basis of a personal interview, complete biographical data and recommendations. B. Criteriafor Promotion from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Library 1. Satisfactory performance of professional responsibilities during the time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Supervisory ability as indicated by valuable innovations in work flow operations, work routines, formulation or reformulation of work processes, procedures and job descriptions, and the successful orientation, training and supervision of personnel. 3. Demonstrated ability to develop MCG Library resources and services to meet the education, research and patient care needs of MCG personnel, as indicated by innovative projects or programs of service or by significantly improved traditional modes of service. 4. Service to the institutional life of the Medical College of Georgia as indicated by membership on library committees, academic committees, or participation in other campus-wide activities. 5. Research and creative activity as indicated by published articles or formal presentations at professional meetings, etc. 6. Evidence of qualitative continuing education in the study of librarianship, in the study of medical librarianship, or in a field related to the activities of the Library. 7. Participation in professional organizations at the local, state, regional or national levels. 8. Medical Library Association certification or similar certification in a related professional area associated with his/her work in the Library. Achievement number eight is mandatory. Five
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of the remaining seven achievements must be met in addition to the institution's guideline of two years time-in-rank at the Medical College of Georgia. C. Criteria for Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, Library 1. Superior performance of professional responsibilities during time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Mastery of a complex field of specialization such as acquisitions, audiovisuals, cataloging, circulation, computer-assisted instruction, educational design, information storage and retrieval, interlibrary loan, management, reference, serials, etc. Mastery may .be indicated by published articles, service as a consultant, formal presentations at professional meetings, and/or the evaluations of colleagues or other qualified persons who have benefited from the candidate's specialized competency. 3. Effectiveness as an educator in formal presentations as indicated by work in courses offered for credit, or in specialized short courses, seminars, and orientations. 4. Effective support of educational activity as indicated by the completion of a significant bibliographic, indexing, or information retrieval project. 5. Service to the institutional life of the Medi al College of Georgia as indicated by membership on library committees, academic committees, or participation in other campus-wide activities. 6. Evidence of qualitative continuing education in the study of librarianship, in the study of medical librarianship, or in a field related to the activities of the Library. 7. Service to librarianship as indicated by notable contribution to the life of professional organizations at the local, state, regional, or national levels, either by publication in the professional journals of these organizations, service on committees, or the exercise of leadership in the offices of these organizations. Four of the seven achievements must be met in addition to the criteria for promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor and the institution's guideline of three years time-in-rank, at least two of which must be at the Medical College of Georgia.
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D. Criteria for Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor, Library 1. Superior performance of professional responsibilities during the time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Superior performance in the administration of a complex department within the Library or in administering teaching or research programs. 3. Service to the Medical College of Georgia in meeting its educational and research needs as indicated by the design and implementation of significant programs of library service or by significant leadership in institutional or community relations projects. 4. A doctoral degree indicating superior academic achievement or a second master's degree in an area of knowledge related to the candidate's work in the Library. 5. National professional recognition, visiting professorships, presentation of papers at seminars, or other appropriate honors. 6. Service to the field of librarianship as indicated by notable contribution to the life of professional organizations, either by publication in the professional journals of these organizations or by the exercise of significant leadership in the offices of these organizations. Four of the six achievements must be met in addition to the criteria for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor and the institution's guideline of three years time-in-rank, at least two of which must be at the Medical College of Georgia. V. TENURE A. Procedures for granting of tenure shall be those set forth in the Policies of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia, Section IV, page 119. B. Tenure is defined as a commitment to permanent and continuous employment to be terminated only for adequate cause (for example: incompetence, moral turpitude, retirement for reasons of age, mental or physical disability, bona fide financial exigency) and only after due process. C. The criteria for tenure are closely allied to the criteria for promotion in academic rank. The relationship between tenure and rank should be the same for library faculty as for other faculty at the Medical College of
Georgia. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)Juiv 1977
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APPENDIX 2 MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA LIBRARY FACULTY PROMOTION PROCEDURES A ction Formation of the Committee
Person Director
Director
In July of each year the Director of Libraries will appoint members to the Faculty Development Committee based upon the following criteria: 1. There will be a minimum of three members on the Committee. A majority of the Committee members will be Library faculty. 2. Members of the Committee will be chosen from Library faculty not eligible for promotion, if possible. 3. Any member of the Library faculty, excluding the Director, may be appointed by the Director for a one-year term. He/she may be reappointed for a second one-year term, but may not serve more than two years in succession. 4. The Director will appoint other MCG faculty member(s) who are not part of the Library faculty to serve on the Committee. 5. The Director will serve as an advisor to the Committee and provide, as needed, resources and information which are available to him/her as chief personnel officer. Promotion Procedure The Director will prepare a list of faculty eligible for promotion. This list will be presented to the Committee by September 1, of each year. There is no official time-in-rank specified in the Board of Regents guidelines. While historically and traditionally the following guidelines have been employed at MCG in determining minimum time-in-rank for promotion, these minimum time-in-rank guidelines have been waived in the case of candidates with extraordinary qualifications. The Director will observe the following time-in-rank guidelines in preparing the list of eligibles: Years in Rank Rank 2 Instructor 3 Assistant Professor 3 Associate Professor Any Library faculty member may submit the name of potential candidates for peer review to the Director. The Director will contact the suggested candidates to determine if such candidates wish, at this time, to be considered for promotion.
Committee Upon appointment by the Director, the Committee will meet to choose a chairperson from among its members. Within one week of receipt of a list of candidates, the Committee will notify each candidate, in writing, and ask the candidate to submit a fully updated curriculum vitae and an outline of how he/she has met the established criteria for promotion. Candidate Each candidate who chooses to be considered for promotion at this time should give the Committee written notification of this decision and provide the Committee with the appropriate documents in support of the Candidacy within three weeks. Each candidate who does not wish to be considered at this time should notify the Committee, in writing, of this position within three weeks. Committee Upon receipt of the documents from the candidate, the Committee will consider each candidate separately. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
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Based upon the guidelines listed in the handbook, the Committee will take the following into consideration: 1. Board of Regents and institutional guidelines for faculty promotion. 2. "Criteria for Promotion" as outlined in the handbook. 3. Letters of reference as indicated below: *Director *Supervisor of the Candidate Co-professionals in the candidate's area (sampling) Other employees from the candidate's area (sampling) Others (at the candidate's discretion) The Committee will contact the persons whose names are submitted by the candidate for letters of reference. The Committee may ask permission of the candidate to contact others whose evaluations they may consider helpful. Committee If it is considered necessary by the Committee or by the candidate, the Committee will provide an opportunity for clarification between the candidate and the Committee reand Candidate garding the content of documents presented to the Committee by the candidate. All discussions of the Committee will be confidential.
Committee Recommendation Committee The Committee will notify the Director, in writing, no later than December 1, of its recommendation regarding its evaluation of a candidate for promotion in academic rank. This recommendation is to be noted by the Director and kept in the Director's office for use by the Committee, but not entered into the candidate's record. If the recommendation for promotion is favorable, the Committee may suggest areas in which the candidate's curriculum vitae and related documents may be improved to facilitate further action on the promotion. In the event of a negative recommendation, the Committee will outline, in writing, areas of weakness in the candidate's qualifications which might be improved to allow for positive action at a later date. Director
Upon receipt of the Committee's recommendation, the Director will communicate the results of the peer review to the candidate. The Director will prepare his/her own evaluation and recommendation of each candidate for promotion. A copy of the Director's evaluation will be filed in the personnel record of the candidate. The Director will forward both his/her evaluation and recommendation and that of the Committee to the appropriate administrative office for action. Review of the Faculty Promotion Documents
Committee After the consideration of candidates for promotion, the Committee is charged with the yearly re-evaluation of the Faculty Promotion documents to insure their accuracy, their agreement with Regents and MCG policies, and their pertinence to the MCG Library program. Any revision deemed necessary will be done at this time and will be presented to the MCG Library faculty members for approval before the end of spring quarter. (*mandatory)
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Medical College of Georgia Library Augusta, Georgia ABSTRACT
One method of determining faculty rank and promotion of library personnel in a health sciences university setting is presented. The focus is on appointment and promotion policies and procedures for librarians as faculty. The promotion document stresses (1) superior teaching, (2) outstanding service to the institution, (3) academic achievement, and (4) professional growth and development. Criteria for appointment and promotion to specific ranks are given. Detailed promotion procedures and a timetable are also included. This method of determining rank and promotion of library faculty is now in operation at the Medical College of Georgia.
THE library at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) serves the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, allied health sciences, and graduate studies. The MCG library program is responsible for supporting the institutional purpose of research, education, and patient care. It serves a population of 3,000 faculty and staff, 2,800 students, and the health care professionals of the state of Georgia. The library also participates in several regional and national information networks. At present there are nine library faculty members. An increase in staff is anticipated, however, as a library physical facility of approximately 75,000 square feet nears completion. This article presents two documents developed at the Medical College of Georgia which pertain to library faculty rank and promotion. It does not attempt to discuss the rationale behind the establishment of faculty status for librarians. The circumstance that precipitated the promotion document at the Medical College of Georgia (Appendix 1) was the establishment of faculty status within the library program. The philosophy of this promotion document reflects the tradi*Reprint requests should be addressed to Thomas G. Basler.
342
tional posture taken by prominent professional associations in the fields of higher education and librarianship [1, 2]. We further took into account the work of Branscomb [3] and Massman [4]. Our document embodies the principle that in matters of internal governance the library operates like other academic units with respect to appointments, promotions, tenure, and conditions of service [2]. Campbell et al. outline one approach to such an academic process used at the Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois [5]. MCG concerns are with areas such as rank, voting, assignments, vacations, holidays, tenure, fringe benefits, research and travel funds, sabbaticals, adequate support staff, grievance and appeal procedures, promotion criteria, and commensurate salaries. These concerns paralleled those enumerated by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) in 1972 [6], and they were incorporated in the MCG promotion document. POLICIES FOR PROMOTION Twenty-six ACRL libraries were surveyed in 1971, and it was noted that a general pattern among those with established promotion criteria
included the following categories of job performance: (1) professional competence and activity; (2) research or creative work; (3) teaching or instructional effectiveness; (4) service to the university; and (5) public service [7]. At MCG, similar categories are weighted according to the level of promotion. At the levels of instructor and assistant professor, one is permitted some flexibility as to the number of categories that must be satisfied in order to demonstrate superior achievement. At the levels of associate professor and professor, however, this flexibility diminishes. Issues specifically addressed by MCG librarians in developing this document included: (1) Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
RANK AND PROMOTION OF LIBRARY FACULTY
provision for faculty-level personnel who are nonlibrarians to become members of the library program and library faculty; (2) emphasis on publication, based upon the perception that, with limited time, scope, and numbers of professional outlets, writing and publication have been of secondary importance for librarians; and (3) effective blending of an ideal philosophy of faculty rank and promotion with the policies of the university system of Georgia. Two other issues were considered important. First, communication from other medical school libraries indicated that in many libraries far too great a relationship exists between one's administrative role and one's faculty rank and promotion. The second issue was certification by the Medical Library Association [8]. The judgment of the MCG faculty was that for rank above instructor, and thus for tenure, certification was necessary, regardless of the candidate's other qualifications. FACULTY PROMOTION PROCEDURES In addition to the promotion document, a description of the general process for its implementation was needed. A faculty development committee was charged with the development of procedures necessary to accomplish such a task. The committee, under the director of libraries, stated its purpose as follows: 1. To serve as the peer review committee to recommend library faculty members to the director for promotion in academic rank. 2. To observe the guidelines and procedures established for its operation and report its findings in writing to the director. 3. To review the guidelines and procedures periodically to maintain their consistency with state and institutional policies regarding faculty rank and status and career development. 4. To review the criteria for the evaluation of library faculty periodically to assure that they adequately reflect current standards of professional performance. 5. To develop a handbook for use by library faculty to help formulate library development programs.
Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)Juiv 1977
The committee wrote the "Faculty Promotion Procedures" statement (Appendix 2) in order to allow for the implementation of the promotion document. Of particular note within these procedures is the role of the director of libraries as chief personnel officer, including his obligations and exclusions. Three areas of additional interest, as noted in the document, are: (1) the importance of the role of faculty from outside the library program, the role of nonfaculty persons from within the library program, and the role of others in the promotion procedure; (2) a timetable designed to coincide with institutional needs and the candidate's ability to respond; and (3) a scheduled review of the faculty promotion documents to accommodate any changes indicated by the university system of Georgia or MCG faculty organization policy modifications. REFERENCES 1. Tenure in libraries; a statement of principles adopted by the Council of the American Library Association, June 21, 1946. ALA Bull. 40: 451-453, Nov. 1946. 2. Statement on government of colleges and universities formulated by the American Council on Education, the American Association of University Professors, and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. AAUP Bull. 52: 375-379, Dec. 1966. 3. BRANSCOMB, LEWIS C., ed. The Case for Faculty Status for Academic Librarians. Chicago, American Library Association, 1970. (ACRL Monograph no. 33.) 4. MASSMAN, VIRGIL F. Faculty Status for Librarians. Metuchen, New Jersey, Scarecrow Press, 1972. 5. CAMPBELL, J., et al. Development of criteria and procedures for appointment, promotion, and tenure of library faculty in an academic health sciences library. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65: 46-52, Jan. 1977. 6. Joint statement on faculty status of college and university librarians endorsed by the Association of College and Research Libraries at the annual conference in Chicago, June 26, 1972. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 62: 237, Apr. 1974. 7. LITTLETON, I. T. The current status of university librarians in ASERL libraries. Southeast. Libr. 21: 25-35, Spring 1971. 8. M EDICAL LIBRARY ASSocIATION. Code for the Certification of Health Sciences Librarians and Library Technicians. Revised 1974. In: Directory of the Medical Library Association, 1976-77. Chicago, Medical Library Association, 1976. p. 131-132.
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SPENCER AND OTHERS APPENDIX I MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA LIBRARY STATUS, RANK AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY I. INTRODUCTION
A. Program The Library, through its faculty and staff, is designed to support the College's educational, research, patient care, and service functions. In order to offer this support, it is the policy of the Library to recruit, develop, and retain highly qualified individuals to occupy its faculty positions. The program designed and implemented by these individuals includes: 1. Selection and development of resources 2. Organization and governance of resources 3. Interpretation and use of resources 4. Program administration and management 5. Education, research, and publication B. Faculty Status and Academic Rank 1. Faculty status for MCG Librarians is defined, generally, in relation to the responsibilities and privileges of other MCG faculty members. It is expected that MCG Library faculty be accorded privileges and responsibilities accorded to other MCG faculty members; viz. (1) voting privileges in the institution's governing body, (2) service on faculty committees, (3) vacations, (4) holidays, (5) tenure, (6) fringe benefits, (7) access to research and travel funds, (8) sabbatical and other leaves, (9) grievance and appeal procedures, including peer review, (10) promotion criteria, (I 1) commensurate salaries, and (12) adequate support personnel to permit the discharge of
or be eligible for state certification as a professional librarian. B. Other professional personnel (non-librarians) must have a graduate degree in an area related to work assignment and/or be able to meet the qualifications for faculty appointment as prescribed by Board of Regents policies. C. A candidate holding a master's level degree, without prior experience, relating to the Library assignment for which he/she is being considered, will be appointed to the rank of Instructor. Candidates with prior experience and holding a master's level degree and candidates without prior experience and holding a doctorate may be considered for the rank of Assistant Professor. A candidate appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor must display previous relevant experience and qualifications in addition to meeting the requirements needed for promotion to that level. III. PROMOTION
Only Library faculty of demonstrated ability and achievement will be promoted after objective and thorough review. If the individual has not demonstrated development, there is no intention on the part of the Medical College to promote. The criteria for promotion outlined below are based on Regents' criteria for promotion, which state that at least two of the four following responsibilities. 2. There are four levels of academic rank for achievements should be demanded: 1. Superior teaching Library faculty: 2. Outstanding service to the institution Instructor, Library 3. Academic achievement Assistant Professor, Library 4. Professional growth and development Associate Professor, Library Professor, Library A. Superior Teaching II. APPOINTMENT Competence and achievement within the Liwill be judged, generally, on consistency of brary The Director of the Library will recommend appointments, including academic rank, through ap- performance, understanding of contemporary library methods, growth in subject expertise, effecpropriate institutional offices. tiveness of judgment, effectiveness of administrative leadership, creative ability in problem solving, Criteria ability to work effectively with others, and ability A. Librarians must hold a graduate degree to relate his/her functions to the goals of the Lifrom an accredited library school and have brary and the Medical College of Georgia.
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Such matters as the quality of collections developed, the effectiveness of technical or public services rendered, the effectiveness of procedures or techniques developed, and the value of programs or courses of study developed or taught will be considered in assessing the candidate's professional competence and achievement. B. Outstanding Service to the Institution Recognition will be given to candidates who render service in Library and MCG committee activities, continuing education, extramural programs, patient care, administrative responsibilities, and other service.
C. Academic Achievement A candidate's academic achievement will be evaluated in terms of the quality of research, publications, reports, books, grant awards, papers presented at professional conferences, exhibits, development of information systems, original programs and procedures applicable to library operations, the value of programs or courses of advanced study completed and other related activities. D. Professional Growth and Development A candidate's extracurricular contribution to his/her profession will be evaluated by considering such activities as the following: membership in professional and scholarly organizations, participation in library and other professional meetings and conferences, consultation or similar service, outstanding achievement or promise as evidenced by awards, fellowships, grants, teaching and lecturing, and editorial activity. In addition, consideration will be given to honors and awards, certification, continuing education and attainment of advanced degrees in addition to the initial master's degree. Evidence of competence and achievement may include the opinions of MCG Library colleagues, MCG faculty, other members of the MCG community, the opinions of those not employed by MCG who function in the same specialty as the candidate, and other qualified persons. IV. CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION TO SPECIFIC RANKS A. Criteria for Appointment as Instructor,
Library 1. A master's degree from a school or college of librarianship and have or be eligible for state certification as a librarian. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
or
2. A master's degree in an area related to work assignment and/or the ability to meet minimum qualifications for faculty appointment as prescribed by Board of Regents
policies. 3. Potential as a librarian, administrator or educator. 4. Evidence of scholarly competence and activity. 5. Successful experience (except in the case of beginners). 6. Desirable personal qualities as judged on the basis of a personal interview, complete biographical data and recommendations. B. Criteriafor Promotion from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Library 1. Satisfactory performance of professional responsibilities during the time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Supervisory ability as indicated by valuable innovations in work flow operations, work routines, formulation or reformulation of work processes, procedures and job descriptions, and the successful orientation, training and supervision of personnel. 3. Demonstrated ability to develop MCG Library resources and services to meet the education, research and patient care needs of MCG personnel, as indicated by innovative projects or programs of service or by significantly improved traditional modes of service. 4. Service to the institutional life of the Medical College of Georgia as indicated by membership on library committees, academic committees, or participation in other campus-wide activities. 5. Research and creative activity as indicated by published articles or formal presentations at professional meetings, etc. 6. Evidence of qualitative continuing education in the study of librarianship, in the study of medical librarianship, or in a field related to the activities of the Library. 7. Participation in professional organizations at the local, state, regional or national levels. 8. Medical Library Association certification or similar certification in a related professional area associated with his/her work in the Library. Achievement number eight is mandatory. Five
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of the remaining seven achievements must be met in addition to the institution's guideline of two years time-in-rank at the Medical College of Georgia. C. Criteria for Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, Library 1. Superior performance of professional responsibilities during time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Mastery of a complex field of specialization such as acquisitions, audiovisuals, cataloging, circulation, computer-assisted instruction, educational design, information storage and retrieval, interlibrary loan, management, reference, serials, etc. Mastery may .be indicated by published articles, service as a consultant, formal presentations at professional meetings, and/or the evaluations of colleagues or other qualified persons who have benefited from the candidate's specialized competency. 3. Effectiveness as an educator in formal presentations as indicated by work in courses offered for credit, or in specialized short courses, seminars, and orientations. 4. Effective support of educational activity as indicated by the completion of a significant bibliographic, indexing, or information retrieval project. 5. Service to the institutional life of the Medi al College of Georgia as indicated by membership on library committees, academic committees, or participation in other campus-wide activities. 6. Evidence of qualitative continuing education in the study of librarianship, in the study of medical librarianship, or in a field related to the activities of the Library. 7. Service to librarianship as indicated by notable contribution to the life of professional organizations at the local, state, regional, or national levels, either by publication in the professional journals of these organizations, service on committees, or the exercise of leadership in the offices of these organizations. Four of the seven achievements must be met in addition to the criteria for promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor and the institution's guideline of three years time-in-rank, at least two of which must be at the Medical College of Georgia.
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D. Criteria for Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor, Library 1. Superior performance of professional responsibilities during the time-in-rank as judged by appropriate documents indicating supervisory evaluation of achievement in relation to the candidate's job tasks. 2. Superior performance in the administration of a complex department within the Library or in administering teaching or research programs. 3. Service to the Medical College of Georgia in meeting its educational and research needs as indicated by the design and implementation of significant programs of library service or by significant leadership in institutional or community relations projects. 4. A doctoral degree indicating superior academic achievement or a second master's degree in an area of knowledge related to the candidate's work in the Library. 5. National professional recognition, visiting professorships, presentation of papers at seminars, or other appropriate honors. 6. Service to the field of librarianship as indicated by notable contribution to the life of professional organizations, either by publication in the professional journals of these organizations or by the exercise of significant leadership in the offices of these organizations. Four of the six achievements must be met in addition to the criteria for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor and the institution's guideline of three years time-in-rank, at least two of which must be at the Medical College of Georgia. V. TENURE A. Procedures for granting of tenure shall be those set forth in the Policies of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia, Section IV, page 119. B. Tenure is defined as a commitment to permanent and continuous employment to be terminated only for adequate cause (for example: incompetence, moral turpitude, retirement for reasons of age, mental or physical disability, bona fide financial exigency) and only after due process. C. The criteria for tenure are closely allied to the criteria for promotion in academic rank. The relationship between tenure and rank should be the same for library faculty as for other faculty at the Medical College of
Georgia. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)Juiv 1977
RANK AND PROMOTION OF LIBRARY FACULTY
APPENDIX 2 MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA LIBRARY FACULTY PROMOTION PROCEDURES A ction Formation of the Committee
Person Director
Director
In July of each year the Director of Libraries will appoint members to the Faculty Development Committee based upon the following criteria: 1. There will be a minimum of three members on the Committee. A majority of the Committee members will be Library faculty. 2. Members of the Committee will be chosen from Library faculty not eligible for promotion, if possible. 3. Any member of the Library faculty, excluding the Director, may be appointed by the Director for a one-year term. He/she may be reappointed for a second one-year term, but may not serve more than two years in succession. 4. The Director will appoint other MCG faculty member(s) who are not part of the Library faculty to serve on the Committee. 5. The Director will serve as an advisor to the Committee and provide, as needed, resources and information which are available to him/her as chief personnel officer. Promotion Procedure The Director will prepare a list of faculty eligible for promotion. This list will be presented to the Committee by September 1, of each year. There is no official time-in-rank specified in the Board of Regents guidelines. While historically and traditionally the following guidelines have been employed at MCG in determining minimum time-in-rank for promotion, these minimum time-in-rank guidelines have been waived in the case of candidates with extraordinary qualifications. The Director will observe the following time-in-rank guidelines in preparing the list of eligibles: Years in Rank Rank 2 Instructor 3 Assistant Professor 3 Associate Professor Any Library faculty member may submit the name of potential candidates for peer review to the Director. The Director will contact the suggested candidates to determine if such candidates wish, at this time, to be considered for promotion.
Committee Upon appointment by the Director, the Committee will meet to choose a chairperson from among its members. Within one week of receipt of a list of candidates, the Committee will notify each candidate, in writing, and ask the candidate to submit a fully updated curriculum vitae and an outline of how he/she has met the established criteria for promotion. Candidate Each candidate who chooses to be considered for promotion at this time should give the Committee written notification of this decision and provide the Committee with the appropriate documents in support of the Candidacy within three weeks. Each candidate who does not wish to be considered at this time should notify the Committee, in writing, of this position within three weeks. Committee Upon receipt of the documents from the candidate, the Committee will consider each candidate separately. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
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Based upon the guidelines listed in the handbook, the Committee will take the following into consideration: 1. Board of Regents and institutional guidelines for faculty promotion. 2. "Criteria for Promotion" as outlined in the handbook. 3. Letters of reference as indicated below: *Director *Supervisor of the Candidate Co-professionals in the candidate's area (sampling) Other employees from the candidate's area (sampling) Others (at the candidate's discretion) The Committee will contact the persons whose names are submitted by the candidate for letters of reference. The Committee may ask permission of the candidate to contact others whose evaluations they may consider helpful. Committee If it is considered necessary by the Committee or by the candidate, the Committee will provide an opportunity for clarification between the candidate and the Committee reand Candidate garding the content of documents presented to the Committee by the candidate. All discussions of the Committee will be confidential.
Committee Recommendation Committee The Committee will notify the Director, in writing, no later than December 1, of its recommendation regarding its evaluation of a candidate for promotion in academic rank. This recommendation is to be noted by the Director and kept in the Director's office for use by the Committee, but not entered into the candidate's record. If the recommendation for promotion is favorable, the Committee may suggest areas in which the candidate's curriculum vitae and related documents may be improved to facilitate further action on the promotion. In the event of a negative recommendation, the Committee will outline, in writing, areas of weakness in the candidate's qualifications which might be improved to allow for positive action at a later date. Director
Upon receipt of the Committee's recommendation, the Director will communicate the results of the peer review to the candidate. The Director will prepare his/her own evaluation and recommendation of each candidate for promotion. A copy of the Director's evaluation will be filed in the personnel record of the candidate. The Director will forward both his/her evaluation and recommendation and that of the Committee to the appropriate administrative office for action. Review of the Faculty Promotion Documents
Committee After the consideration of candidates for promotion, the Committee is charged with the yearly re-evaluation of the Faculty Promotion documents to insure their accuracy, their agreement with Regents and MCG policies, and their pertinence to the MCG Library program. Any revision deemed necessary will be done at this time and will be presented to the MCG Library faculty members for approval before the end of spring quarter. (*mandatory)
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Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(3)July 1977
